Device for placing a lamp in a reflector

ABSTRACT

In a device for placing a lamp in a reflector, a socket ( 1 ) for holding a lamp is provided with a main body part ( 2 ), with a reference plane ( 16 ) to be brought into contact with the a reflector surface, with means ( 3 ) for holding the lamp at one side of the reference plane, with a resilient annular spring ( 5 ) secured to the main body part at the opposite side of the reference plane, and with two upright arms ( 7 ) provided with clicks ( 8 ), while a back plate ( 11 ) is provided with pressure points ( 14 ). When securing the back plate to the reflector, the reference plane ( 16 ) is brought into contact with said reflector surface, and the pressure points ( 14 ), when in contact with the clicks ( 8 ) of the socket, displace the clicks ( 8 ) in the direction of the reflector over a distance 7× so as to put the annular spring ( 5 ) under tension, said distance 7× being such that the annular spring (5) presses the reference plane towards the said reflector surface with a force of at least 5N, preferably with a force of at least 10 N.

The invention relates to a device for placing a lamp in a reflector,said device comprising: a socket for holding a lamp and a back plate tobe secured to the reflector.

DE-A1-197 52 979 describes the insertion of a lamp into a reflector atthe rear of the reflector. Although this device is used in automobiles,it has the disadvantage, for example, that the socket holding the lampis not pressed with a sufficiently, strong force against the reflectorto withstand strong vibrations and shocks, so that the lamp cannotalways be safely located in the correct position.

The invention solves this problem and further provides a device of adifferent construction principle that makes use of a back plate forholding a socket safely pressed against a reflector, preferably areflector of an automobile.

According to the invention, there is provided a device for placing alamp in a reflector, said device comprising:

-   -   a socket for holding a lamp and    -   a back plate to be secured to the reflector,        characterized in that    -   said socket is provided with a main body part, with a reference        plane brought into contact with the a reflector surface, with        means for holding the lamp at one side of the reference plane,        with a resilient annular spring secured to the main body part at        the opposite side of the reference plane, and with two upright        arms provided with clicks,    -   said back plate being provided with pressure points,    -   wherein, when securing the back plate to the reflector, the        reference plane is brought into contact with said reflector        surface, and the pressure points, when in contact with the        clicks of the socket, displace the clicks in the direction of        the reflector over a distance Δ× so as to put the annular spring        under tension, said distance Δ× being such that the annular        spring presses the reference plane towards said reflector        surface with a force of at least 5N, preferably with a force of        at least 10 N.

According to a preferred embodiment, the clicks are displaced by thepressure points over a distance ranging from 0.5 mm to 2 mm, preferably0.8 mm to 1.3 mm. This ensures a desired safe positioning of the lamp inthe reflector.

Advantageously, the main body part is provided with two electricallyconducting female terminals and the back plate is provided with twomating electrically conducting male terminals such that, when the backplate is moved towards the socket, the male terminal is inserted withfriction into the female terminal, to hold the back plate and sockettogether and to adjust the pressure points with respect to the clicks.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the socket is formed as anintegral part from a synthetic resin, preferably polyamide. This sockethas good resilience and can withstand the relatively high temperaturesgenerated by the lamp.

Preferably, the back plate is made of an electrically insulatingmaterial and is provided with one or more printed circuit(s) connectedto the male terminals.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the back plate comprisesmore than one set of pressure points to bring an equal number of socketsinto contact with a reflector unit provided with a number of reflectors.For example, a back light, a brake light, and a direction indicatorlight may thus be placed easily and safely in the reflector unit.

The invention further relates to a socket for use in said device and toa back plate for use in the device.

A non-limiting but preferred embodiment of the invention will now bedescribed with reference to the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a socket to be secured to a reflector,

FIG. 2 shows a back plate with socket according to the invention,

FIG. 3 is a very schematic view of the combination of back plate andsocket, and

FIGS. 4 a-4 d show several steps in the process of securing the socketto a reflector.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a lamp mounting socket or cap1 for a light source, especially a halogen lamp, for example for use asa tail lamp in an automobile. The socket or cap 1 has a main body part2. This main body part 2 is provided with upright resilient tongues 3with small conical protuberances or catches 4 to securely hold a lightsource. At the lowerside of the main body part 2, an annular spring 5 issecured in two diametrically opposed locations indicated with thereference numeral 6 (only one is shown). The annular spring 5 isprovided with upright arms 7 at two diametrically opposed sides. Theseupright arms 7 are substantially 90° offset with respect to the securinglocations 6 of the annular spring 5. The arms 7 provided with catches orclicks 8 are at their ends.

The socket or cap 1 is formed as one single part from a thermoplasticresin, preferably polyamide. This material has a sufficient resilienceand can withstand the relatively high temperatures that are generated bythe lamp in use.

A socket or cap 1 of this kind is intended to be used in a reflector ofan automobile, for example as a socket for a tail light, a brakinglight, or a direction indicator light. After a lamp (not shown in thisFigure), for example a recently developed high-performance halogen lampof small dimension but with a high light intensity, has been insertedinto the socket or cap 1 such that the catches 4 securely hold the lamp,the cap is to be mounted on a reflector. For this purpose the reflectoris provided with a mounting opening into which the circular main bodypart 2 of the cap 1 can be inserted. The reflector may normally furtherbe provided with associated wall parts, for example each with anopening. Each socket click 8 can be clicked into such an opening bypressing the resilient annular spring 5 upwards. The resilience of thespring activates a pressure force that withstands vibrations and shocksand safely retains the cap 1 in the reflector. A retention of this kindis known to those skilled in the art.

To seal the cap in the reflector against humidity or dust, the main bodypart 2 may be provided at its circumference with an annular groove (notshown) into which a sealing ring can be inserted.

Sockets of this kind normally have electrical contacts in the hollowinner part of the main body 2 for connection to a plug or connector, toprovide the electrical energy for the lamp. At the rear of anautomobile, the reflector may have a lamp for the backing light, a lampfor the brake light, and a lamp for the direction indicator, so that foreach lamp a socket or cap 1 has to be clicked into the relevant part ofthe reflector and the plug or connector has to be inserted into thesocket. The electrical wires of the connector normally lead to a printedcircuit board provided with the required electrical circuit(s).

A large number of set makers prefer the mounting of the sockets or caps1 in a reflector with the use of a “back plate”, instead of capsclicking with their clicks 8 into relevant click openings of thereflector. This may further advantageously prevent the use of said plugor connector and makes it unnecessary to secure the electrical leads ofthe plug(s) to, for example, a separately positioned circuit board.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an example of the possibility ofmounting the cap 1 with the help of a schematically shown back plate 11.The solution according to the invention is such that the construction ofthe cap can essentially be equivalent to that of the cap according toFIG. 1, only the electrical connections need a minor change.

In FIG. 2, the cap 1 is shown with the main body part 2, the tongues 3provided with the small conical catches 4 to hold a lamp tightly, theresilient annular spring 5, and the upright arms 7 with catches orclicks 8. In the embodiment shown, the electrical connection to anelectrical power supply is formed by electrically conducting hollowterminals 10 of rectangular cross section (only one is shown). Theseterminals or female contacts 10 are secured to the elements to connectthe annular spring 5 to the main body part 2, for example as indicatedby the reference numeral 6 in FIG. 1. The electrical connection of thehollow terminals to the lamp to be placed in the cap 1 may be of anysuitable kind within the knowledge of those skilled in the art and isnot relevant to the present invention.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a back plate 11 (or mounting panel withprinted circuit). The back plate 11 consists of an electricallynon-conducting material and is provided with a printed circuit of whichonly leads 12 are diagrammatically shown in this Figure. The back plate11 is provided with electrically conducting upright back plate terminalsor male contacts 13. These male contacts 13 of the back plate 11 can beinserted into the female contacts 10 of the cap 1 when the back plate 11is brought into contact with the cap 1. Frictional contact between theterminals 13 and the hollow terminals 10 ensures that the back plate 11and cap 1 are held together before this combination is secured to thereflector of, for example a rear light of an automobile while at thesame time providing the necessary electrical contact.

According to the invention, the back plate 11 is provided with pressurepoints 14 that, when the back plate 11 and the cap 1 are moved together,are brought into contact with the clicks 8 of the upright arms 7 of thecap 1.

FIG. 3 is a very schematic view in which only the parts of FIGS. 1 and 2essential to the invention are shown, to disclose the principle of theinvention. A cap 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will not be clicked withthe clicks 8 into openings of associated parts of a reflector, asmentioned with reference to FIG. 1, but according to the invention useis made of a back plate 11 with pressure points that can come intocontact with the clicks 8 of the arms 7. When securing the back plate 11to the reflector, as will be described with reference to FIG. 4, thepressure points 14 displace the clicks over a small distance and thusexercise a force on the annular spring 5, due to which the cap 1 willbrought into the correct position in the reflector and can furtherwithstand vibrations and shocks so that it will be securely be held inplace. (Only a part 15 of the reflector is shown, said part beingprovided with an opening 18 (see FIG. 4 c) into which the upper portionof the main body part 2 is inserted; a lower portion of the main bodypart 2 is in contact with the reflector 15 at the position of areference plane 16).

FIGS. 4 a-d show the principle of how the combination of cap 1 and backplate 11 is used to secure the cap 1 safely in the reflector 17.

In FIG. 4 a, the cap 1 and back plate are shown in the still separatedposition in which the cap1 is placed above the back plate 11. Back plate11 and cap 1 are brought into the mutually correct positions in that themale terminals 13 are inserted into the female terminals 10.

FIG. 4 b shows the position in which the cap and back plate are heldtogether due to the friction between the male terminal 13 that isinserted in the female terminal. The pressure points 14 are in contactwith the clicks 8 but do not exercise a force on the clicks. The annularspring 5 is thus free of tension.

In FIG. 4 c, the reflector 17 is schematically shown. The reflector hasan opening 18 into which the upper part of the cap can be inserted (asdescribed with reference to FIG. 3).

FIG. 4 d shows how the combination of cap and back plate is mounted onthe reflector 17 (see also FIG. 3). First the reference plane 16 comesinto contact with the reflector. Then the back plate will be secured tothe reflector. This may take place, for example, by securing the backplate to the reflector with the aid of screws (not shown) or in anyother suitable way. The reference plane 16 is brought into contact withthe reflector surface, and the pressure points 14, when in contact withthe clicks 8, displace the clicks in the direction of the reflector overa distance Δ× so as to put the annular spring 5 under tension. Thedistance of displacement of the clicks 8 with respect to the main bodypart 2 of the socket is such that the annular spring presses thereference plane 16 against said reflector surface. This compressionforce is at least 5 N and preferably at least 1ON. In this way thesocket is safely held to the reflector and can withstand vibrations andshocks while the lamp is placed in the desired position. Preferably thedistance Δ× ranges from 0.5 mm to 2 mm, more preferably from 0.8 mm to1.3 mm.

The back plate may have more than one, set of pressure points (14) tobring an equal number of sockets into contact with a reflector unitprovided with a number of reflectors. This may be chosen when, forexample, a back light, a braking light and/or a direction indicatorlight has to be placed in the reflector unit in the rear part of anautomobile.

It will be understood that the description and drawing are merely anon-limiting example of the present invention and that changes andmodifications may be included within the scope of the appended claims.

1. Device for placing a lamp in a reflector, said device comprising: asocket for holding a lamp and a back plate to be secured to thereflector, characterized in that said socket (1) is provided with a mainbody part (2), with a reference plane (16) to be brought into contactwith the a reflector surface, with means (3) for holding the lamp at oneside of the reference plane, with a resilient annular spring (5) securedto the main body part at the opposite side of the reference plane, andwith two upright arms (7) provided with clicks (8), said back plate (11)being provided with pressure points (14), wherein, when securing theback plate to the reflector, the reference plane (16) is brought intocontact with said reflector surface, and the pressure points (14), whenin contact with the clicks (8) of the socket, displace the clicks (8) inthe direction of the reflector over a distance Δ× so as to put theannular spring (5) under tension, said distance Δ× being such that theannular spring (5) presses the reference plane towards said reflectorsurface with a force of at least 5N, preferably with a force of at least10 N.
 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the clicks(8) are displaced by the pressure points (14) over a distance rangingfrom 0.5 mm up to 2 mm, preferably 0.8 mm to 1.3 mm.
 3. Device accordingto claim 1, characterized in that the main body part (2) is providedwith two electrically conducting female terminals (10), and the backplate (11) is provided with two mating electrically conducting maleterminals (13) such that, when the back plate is moved towards thesocket, the male terminal (13) is inserted with friction into the femaleterminal (10) so as to hold the back plate and socket together and toposition the pressure points (14) with respect to the clicks (8). 4.Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the socket (1) isformed as an integral part from a synthetic resin, preferably polyamide.5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the back plate(11) is made from an electrically insulating material and is providedwith one or more printed circuit(s) connected to the male terminals(13).
 6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the backplate comprises more than one set of pressure points (14) to bring anequal number of sockets into contact with a reflector unit provided witha number of reflectors.
 7. Socket for use in a device as claimed inclaim
 1. 8. Back plate for use in a device as claimed in claim 1.